CMW Review: Thomas D'Arcy, Terra Lightfoot, Daniel Lanois

Thomas D’arcy

As the early opening act for Daniel Lanois’ Canadian Music Week show, Thomas D’Arcy set the tone for great night with his heartfelt melodies. As the legendary Horseshoe Tavern started to fill up, D’Arcy won over the early crowd with his self-deprecating stage banter, including a vote on whether or not he should keep his beard.

Playing without his band and bemoaning his fate of being just ‘another guy with an acoustic guitar,’ D’Arcy kept things interesting with harmonic vocal loops and some solid performances of songs from his new album Fooled You Twice. In the end, Thomas D’arcy played his role effectively, warming up the early arrivals and picking up a few new fans along the way.

Terra Lightfoot

As the last-minute replacement for Rocco DeLuca, Terra Lightfoot and her band took full advantage of the opportunity to open for Daniel Lanois. From the first notes of Terra’s skillful yet soulful guitar playing to a rousing rendition of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" to close out the set, the Hamilton-based singer and her band captivated the crowd with a spirited set of great rock and roll songs. Lightfoot’s powerful vocals, along with solid support from the rhythm section, suggest that anyone who picks up her second solo album, Everytime My Mind Runs Wild, will not be disappointed.

Daniel Lanois

Daniel Lanois dazzled the adoring crowd at the Horseshoe to kick off Canadian Music Week for 2015. Opening the set by weaving a sonic tapestry with his pedal steel guitar, the iconic Canadian musician declared "every week of my life is Canadian Music Week!" The self-described "studio rat" played a masterful set, cycling through meandering guitar numbers, high energy electro grooves, and a number of Lanois classics, including "The Maker" and "Jolie Louise."

When the energy of the crowd dipped (after a particularly spectacular if somewhat inaccessible techno-jam), he was quick to take a few requests and get everybody back into the groove. Lanois closed out the set with a stunning electronic jam that was more reminiscent of a Nine Inch Nails live show than the understated melodies on Lanois' seminal album Acadie.

Over the years Lanois has worked with everyone from Brian Eno and U2 to Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but he’s clearly in his element on stage. Whether he's singing, playing his guitar or vigorously tweaking knobs and dials on his intricate stage set up, there's no mistaking the musical talent that Daniel Lanois embodies. Lanois has been incredibly productive over his career and his performance at this year’s Canadian Music Week was a great showcase of both the depth and breadth of his talent. Lanois continues to tour in support of his new album Flesh and Machine.